St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-22
THE SENATE.
Some Republican Members Make
Fools of Themselves.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-In the senate
to-day Mr.. Sherman reported the bill to
restrict ownership of lands in the terri
tories by foreigners. Mr.. Voorhees, in
troduced the McGarahan claim, which
has been pending for twenty years. The
resolution providing for a committee of
five senators to investigate the condition
of the five civilized tribes of Indians and
their claims to citizenship was adopted.
The resolution to direct a reduction of
letter postage was referred to the post
Office committee. The bill to fix the
salary of the commissioner of fish and
fisheries at $1,000 was passed. The hOl-
Mr.. Plumb objected to the ad-
journment on the ground that
congress should remain at work.
He said the president had
called attention to the necessity for
congressional action: although it must
be generally recognized that the presi-
dent and not congress is responsible for
the financial condition of which he COM
plains. He proceeded to charge the
president with ignoring his legal Obliga-
tions to buy bonds and pay out the sur
plus, and with shaping his financial
policy to meet the needs of Wall street.
Mr.. Plumb said that the house could
not adjourn without the concurrence of
the senate, and it would, therefore, go
to work if the resolution was rejected.
The house posed as the friend of the
people and the foe of mOnOpOlies. 1t
needed, however, the force of good ex-
ample; it also needed the focus of pub
lie opinion. Mr.. Butler expressed con-
tempt for the disgusting spectacle
which the senate was presenting,
for the affectation and hypocricy
exhibited to-day. There was not
senator who'd id not account for all that
was said about the senate remaining in
session as absolute bOsh and hypocrisy.
1t was the flimSied, Shallowest hypOc-
riSy he had ever witnesSee. Mr.. Plumb
resented the position of public censor
assumed by the senator from South
Carolina. Mr.. Sherman agreed with
Mr.. Butler that it was hardly worth
while for the senate to delay the houses
usual provision of holiday adjourn
ment, but he did not agree with him as
to the character of tO-day's debate. On
the. contrary, he (Sherman) was much
attention of the senate the folly of some
features of the presidents message,
notably the folly of endeavoring to ere
ate scare and alarm about the condi-
tfOn of the country, because fortun-
ately) there was surplus in the treas
ury. If it were true that there was
such state of alarm as was expressed
by the president, certainly Democratic
house ought not to adjourn over the
holidays. He (Sherman) did not believe,
however, that there was any such occa-
sion for alarm. He believed that the
language of the president was entirely
too strong. 1t was right and proper for
Republican senators to call attention to
/ the folly of the house of representatives
adjourning without even an organiZa-
ton. There were no committees ap-
pointed in that bOdy-no preparations
made to meet the great peril spoken of
by the president. The surplus of $751;
e0O,O 900 was less than was in the treasury
at other periods of the present admins
tration. He thought it but reasonable
and right that the humbug by which it
was sought to frighten the country
should be punctured, exploded, or ex-
planned away. The question would
doubtless have to be approached in
temperate, fair manner. He therefore